2023-09-02 8:15:58 ¶ ●

Hannibal “changing” Will into something he intrinsically isn’t feels like a misunderstanding. Will is always Will and he will always be Will. The Will Hannibal sees and the Will that Will himself sees are the same, the difference lying in perception. Hannibal thinks Will’s mind is that of an artist’s; like himself. Will thinks of his own mind as something dangerous; not to others, but to himself. If everything he sees touches everything he is, then how does he stay “himself” when he’s stained by every colour he touches?

Hannibal abuses this greatest fear at first from fascination. Will is convinced that he has acted out of control. He is no longer himself. He figures out the culprit. This is the greatest betrayal.

Will has purpose, now. There will be a reckoning. The stag that has imprinted on his mind after seeing Hannibal’s brutalisation of Cassie Boyle is a muse that stomps across his psyche. He sees the stag leading him out of the prison cell which Hannibal ushers him back into: To be rid of Hannibal, he must let his muse guide him. He must be inspired by his urges and cruelty.

His fear has always been change. But all of Will Graham is Will Graham, Hannibal knows this. In his wrath for Hannibal, he is no longer afraid of losing himself. He sends Matthew Brown as his assassin.

What Hannibal hoped for Will, was that Will be no longer afraid of his chair of antlers, no longer scorn it when it’s so valuable even beyond its usefulness. While everyone, especially Alana Bloom was professionally curious, Hannibal was enamored with Will by virtue of who he is.